May 18, 2024

#BookReview–>Superintendent Battle #1- The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie



When Anthony Cade’s long time friend Jimmy McGrath requests him to deliver the provocative memoirs of a recently deceased European count to a London publisher and in turn get a thousand pounds, the task looks like a simple delivery and an opportunity to earn quick cash. But what Mr. Cade does not know is that soon he will get embroiled in a high intensity drama with people getting murdered, with scandalous royal secrets and volatile foreign politics, a hunt for a mastermind criminal and will be the target of secret societies and mysterious forces hell bent on preventing him from delivering his package!


I have always enjoyed reading Christie’s work

and although, The Secret of Chimneys
promised a very intriguing mystery, I felt that I had read better from her!

Too much of everything like too many sub plots, too much political talk, too many people with strange and confusing names and a slow pace made the story a bit dull for me. Also I felt offended with the constant racial bend to all talk of foreigners and the low opinion of anyone non-English. 


The character of Superintendent Battle who is supposedly the Poirot in this story is not developed fully and is just a cop from Scotland Yard who is always in the background. I really would have loved the story more had the Superintendent’s character been given more presence in the book.


Agatha Christie was not successful in balancing all the little mysteries in the story and as a reader I felt bored at places and even felt inclined to skip some parts of the story. 



The glorifying points include the characterization which is beautifully done and the ultimate solution to the mysteries.



All in all, an average book from the “Queen of Crime”. I give The Secret of Chimneys a 3.5 out of 5.



Buying Links:

Snapdeal.com | Flipkart.com | Amazon.in | Amazon.com 

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